Prediction Markets Forecast to Reach $1 Trillion by 2030, Bernstein Report Says

20-Apr-2026 CoinCentral

TLDR

  • Bernstein projects prediction market volumes will reach $240 billion in 2026 and $1 trillion by 2030
  • Kalshi and Polymarket have already logged $60 billion in volume in 2026 — more than all of 2025
  • Weekly Kalshi trading volume has grown from $100 million to over $3 billion in one year
  • Blockchain integration and federal regulatory clarity are seen as key growth drivers
  • Robinhood and Coinbase are named as the main public market proxies for the sector

Prediction markets are on track to become a trillion-dollar industry by the end of the decade, according to a new report from investment firm Bernstein.

Analysts at Bernstein estimate total prediction market volumes will hit $240 billion in 2026 alone — a 370% jump from 2025. At a compound annual growth rate of around 80%, the firm sees the market reaching $1 trillion per year by 2030.

Kalshi and Polymarket are the two largest platforms in the space. Together, they recorded about $60 billion in market volume in the first few months of 2026. That already tops the $51 billion in total volume seen across all of 2025.

Kalshi holds more than 90% of the U.S. prediction market share. Weekly trading volume on the platform has grown from roughly $100 million a year ago to more than $3 billion today.

Bank of America analyst Julie Hoover called Kalshi one of the “fastest growing non-AI companies” in the United States. She noted the platform’s growth rates rival those seen during the artificial intelligence boom.

What Is Driving the Growth

Prediction markets started gaining traction around the 2024 U.S. presidential election. They then continued growing in 2025 as sports, cryptocurrency, and macroeconomic contracts became popular with traders.

Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani points to three main growth drivers: federal regulatory clarity, mainstream distribution partnerships, and better liquidity compared to state-regulated betting markets.

Blockchain technology is also playing a role. It is enabling global liquidity and allowing platforms to offer contracts on highly specific or niche events, while also lowering the barrier for institutional investors to participate.

Chhugani expects the mix of contracts to shift over time. Sports contracts make up more than 60% of volume today, but he expects that share to be cut roughly in half by 2030 as institutional contracts around economics, politics, and business grow.

New players are entering the market. Robinhood, DraftKings, and Underdog have all launched or are building their own prediction market products.

Regulatory Battles Ahead

The sector is not without legal risk. Legal action is currently pending in 14 U.S. states, and four congressional bills are also in progress. Concerns include insider trading and questions over who has the authority to regulate these platforms.

Some states argue they have the right to regulate sports-related prediction contracts. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, however, is pushing back and claims sole federal authority over the space.

Chhugani does not expect these challenges to derail long-term growth. He sees platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket benefiting from growing alignment with federal regulators including the SEC and CFTC.

Robinhood’s prediction markets hub is now one year old and is generating $350 million in annual recurring revenue. It accounts for about 30% of Kalshi’s total volume and is Robinhood’s fastest-growing business.

Chhugani named Robinhood and Coinbase as the key public market proxies for investors looking to gain exposure to the private prediction market companies.

The post Prediction Markets Forecast to Reach $1 Trillion by 2030, Bernstein Report Says appeared first on CoinCentral.

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